Rovers 2 Bray W. 0

Good Friday for the Hoops....

Pat Flynn
Hoops number three

The Hoops did enough to secure the three points in a cold Tolka Park but had to survive an early scare in the 12th minute when ex-Hoop Ger Rowe was sent clear and rounded Barry Murphy and would have scored but for the intervention of Pat Flynn who got back to clear. A minute later Stephen Rice floated a long ball to John Martin on the right who beat the defender to cross low for Murphy to steer the ball past 'keeper O'Connor.

O'Connor volleyed across goal on 15 minutes and six minutes later the Bray 'keeper couldn't hold a free-kick and Ferguson attempted to hook the ball into the net but his effort went wide. Sean O'Connor then burst through the Bray defence on 34 minutes but was pulled up for an alleged push.

The Seagulls were reduced to ten men within five minutes of the restart when McCabe received a second yellow card for pushing Ferguson after the Ref. awarded the Hoops a free-kick. On 52 minutes an O'Brien free-kick bounced in the area but Maguires close-range header went just wide.

Substitute Doyle done well to feed Baker on the right but his low cross was cut out before it could reach O'Connor. The Hoops were in the comfort zone when Maguire headed into the path of Baker whoose first touch was perfect and his second touch sent the ball crashing into the top of the net in the 64th minute.

Rovers were in control now and a couple of crosses had the 'keeper under pressure and although Ger O'Brien got behind the defence his cross was too high. Some good football in the 73rd minute saw Doyles shot deflected and Purcell almost got the vital touch. Purcell was again involved in the last Hoops chance when Baker and O'Brien combined but he saw his effort blocked by a defender.

Dessie Baker fires home Rovers 2nd goal

Line-Out

1 Barry Murphy
2 Ger O'Brien
3 Pat Flynn
4 Daragh Maguire
5 Barry Ferguson
6 Eric McGill
7 John Martin
8 Stephen Rice
9 Alan Murphy
10 Dessie Baker
11 Sean O'Connor


Substitutes:

13 Darren Stapleton 14 Robbie Creevy
15 Eoin Doyle for Murphy 58'
16 Karl Coleman
17 Tadhg Purcell for Martin 66'